panafrican:

European union was invented at the G-20 summit, curiously African Union wasn't. Why is South africa representing the whole continent ?

lucabrasi:

and south africa is representing africa because they are not only the most credible and best run african country,they have better relations and respect of the world powers

beystwin:

AU is not there because of Gaddafi.

Epiphany:

Another reason may be the fact that the EU is a collection of countries that have 'open borders' - meaning that since they share the same currency, operate free trade and population movement btw them and have a 'single voice', they can be thought of as ONE COUNTRY and one big economy.

Lagosboy:

Evryone talks about the tackling of poverty, helping Africa bla bla bla and when it comes to an economic summit to discuss the global economy Africa is left in the cold and one country is representing itself and not even Africa.

Not all of the EU have open borders and it is just the countries that are landlocked together (Shen gen)

Thanks for the correction - those countries that are locked together make up one big economy and they all use the Euro as a joint currency under the European Central Bank. They also have the rotational presidency thing which puts them under one leader at any given point in time. I still think that is a major reason they invited individual presidents like Sarkozy and Merkel etc but still have the EU as one country.

must_a_far link=topic=256993.msg3679163#msg3679163 date=1238681425:

they have the right and left to invite whoever they wish. nigeria would have been invited but we are currently rebranding so the choice of SA.

I like your analysis

Lagosboy:

I beg to diasgree on this. AU should have been invited and not just one country from the whole of the 52 countries in Africa. I personally think it is a disrespect for the whole continent and it implies we mean nothing to the world economy. If the EU is the 20th country then AU should have been officialy invited.

Lagosboy:



South Africa is in no way the best run country in Africa.
Tony Blair travelled in 2005 to shake mad dog Ghadaffi's hand in the desert and went to seal lucrative oil deals on behalf of British companies so has condo rice done as well so whats the problem with Ghadaffi and the west.

KunleOshob:

This thread shows a lot of lack of understanding of what the G20 is all about. The G20 is simply a group of the top twenty economies in the world and south africa happens to be one of them. Though they are the only African country there they are not there to represent africa they are there on their own merit. as for the AU issue, AU is not a country so it cannot be invited as G20 is made up of countries and NOT unions.

[size=13pt]The G-20 (more formally, the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors) is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 economies: 19 of the world's largest national economies, plus the European Union (EU). [/size] It also met once at heads-of-government level, in November 2008. Collectively, the G-20 economies comprise 85%[3] of global gross national product, 80% of world trade (including EU intra-trade) and two-thirds of the world population.[2]

The G-20 is a forum for cooperation and consultation on matters pertaining to the international financial system. It studies, reviews, and promotes discussion among key industrial and emerging market countries of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability, and seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization.

KunleOshob:

This thread shows a lot of lack of understanding of what the G20 is all about. The G20 is simply a group of the top twenty economies in the world and south africa happens to be one of them. Though they are the only African country there they are not there to represent africa they are there on their own merit. as for the AU issue, AU is not a country so it cannot be invited as G20 is made up of countries and NOT unions.

OutlukBabe:

AU is invited my friends. The Ethopian Prime minister is representing AU delegation. However, as usual, he just there to beg for aid for other poor African countries.

OMO IBO:

outlukbabe, i can give you proof. can you?

Tedla Asfaw (16 Mar 2009) The Ethiopian tyrant who currently chairs the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and other eleven countries from Africa most represented by minsters were in London meeting with Gordon Brown to beg the “rich” countries of G20 not to forget Africa in their coming April meeting in London.
http://ethioforum.org/wp/archives/877

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is expected to travel to Britain to represent Africa at the pre- G-20 economic summit.
http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1144008972&cid=159